Year 10 careers workshop

On Thursday 14 April, Bright Futures Ltd returned to St Mary’s School, Cambridge, to run a double workshop on Employability Skills and Financial Awareness for Year 10 students. The day was led by Mr Steve James, supported by the Director of Bright Futures, Mr Matt Watson.

The girls were put into random teams and spent the day engaging with a programme of interactive tasks. At every stage Mr James and Mr Watson stated the reason for each activity, relating it to preparation for employability or by way of raising awareness of financial implications. Illuminating facts and figures were interspersed with short videos in between practical activities, which were reinforced by a short quiz, or question and answer interlude. Highlights of the day included a mock EU referendum, where each group had to qualify their vote with a cogent argument, and designing the longest running marble rollercoaster using only paper, card, sellotape, scissors and a mounting board. The girls also put their negotiating skills to the test with buying and selling games, ‘Cash4Words’.

The students participated in the day with lively enthusiasm and we hope they finished with excited anticipation for what lies ahead for them in the adult world of work.